This is People’s Daily Tonight, your news source from China.

_____

Possibility for DPRK leader's visit to Seoul left open: Moon

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has left the possibility of the visit by top Democratic People’s Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-un open.

Moon made the remarks at a press conference with local reporters on a flight to New Zealand for his state visit following the Group of 20 summit in Argentina.

Moon noted that whether Kim would make a reciprocal visit to Seoul within the year depends on how determined he is.

Kim would become the first DPRK leader to visit South Korea since the Korean Peninsula was divided with an armistice agreement that ended the 1950-1953 Korean War.(Xinhua)

_____

World Bank promises $200bln in 2021-25 climate cash

The World Bank on Monday unveiled $200 billion in climate action investment for 2021-25.

The World Bank said the move, coinciding with a UN climate summit meeting in Poland, represented a "significantly ramped up ambition" to tackle climate change, "sending an important signal to the wider global community to do the same."

Developed countries are committed to lifting combined annual public and private spending to $100 billion in developing countries by 2020 to fight the impact of climate change, according to latest OECD data.

"If we don't reduce emissions and build adaptation now, we'll have 100 million more people living in poverty by 2030," John Roome, World Bank senior director for climate change, warned.(AFP)

_____

China eases curbs on stock index futures trading

The China Financial Futures Exchange announced it was further easing restrictions on domestic stock index futures trading in a "sound and orderly" way.

This, to facilitate market functions.

The exchange said it will reduce the margin requirement for Hushen 300 index futures and SSE 50 index futures to 10 percent from 15 percent.

For CSI 500 index futures, the margin requirement would be lowered to 15 percent from up to 30 percent from Monday's clearing.(Xinhua)

_____

China's manufacturing PMI inches higher in Nov

The manufacturing sector in China recorded better-than-expected growth in November, as the latest survey by Caixin showed, adding some promising signs to the economy though downward pressure persists. 

The purchasing manager index accelerated to 50.2 from 50.1 the previous month, exceeding market expectations for a reading of 50.1, according to the private survey on Monday.

The official manufacturing PMI for November stood at 50, which was 0.2 percentage points lower than that of October, according to earlier data by the National Bureau of Statistics.(Chinadaily)

_____

UK could face constitutional crisis if PM loses crucial Brexit vote, says academic

Britain could be plunged into a constitutional crisis if Prime Minister Theresa May loses her crucial Brexit vote on December 11.

Anthony Glees of the University of Buckingham told Xinhua that it could become a constitutional crisis if May loses, as all the experts believe she will do. 

He added that if it is not resolved properly and quickly it will explode into a crisis affecting everyone in the UK.

Lawmakers will start a marathon five-day debate on Tuesday on the withdrawal deal agreed between May and the European Council a week ago.

The leader of the main opposition Labour Party said his party will call for a confidence vote in May's government if she loses the vote, with a snap general election a possible outcome.(Xinhua)

_____

Qatar to quit OPEC in 2019: energy minister

Qatar is to leave OPEC next month, the Gulf state's new energy minister, Saad al-Kaabi, announced on Monday.

"Qatar has decided to withdraw its membership from OPEC effective January 2019," Kaabi said at a Doha press conference. 

He added that OPEC was told of the decision on Monday ahead of the announcement.

Qatar is the world's biggest exporter of liquid natural gas.

Qatar, a country of 2.6 million people where citizens make up over 10 percent of the population, discovered the offshore North Field in 1971, the same year it became independent.(AFP)

_____

China's Ding Junhui reaches third round at UK Snooker Championship

And China's Ding Junhui fought back from 4-2 down to beat Englishman Matthew Selt, 6-5, in the second round of the UK Snooker Championship.

The two-time UK Champion Ding now meets Xiao Guodong in an all-Chinese affair.

Ding's fellow Chinese Yan Bingtao thrashed Paul Davison, 6-1, while Martin O'Donnell made a 139 in a 6-2 win over another Chinese player, Chen Feilong.(Xinhua)

_____

And that’s People’s Daily Tonight.  Thanks for joining us.

(Produced by David Nye and Bai Yuanqi)